National Museum of the Marine

Toulon, France

National Museum of the Marine is located in the historic centre of Toulon on Monsenergue Square. The exposition is placed in the old city arsenal (built in 1814 during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte). Central facade of the museum is decorated with impressive statues of the Atlantes created the famous master of the 17th century, Pierre Puget.

The visitors of the museum can see here the most unique collection of models and maquettes of marine vessels for different purposes in a variety of scales (starting from the 18th century to the present day), from the ancient galleys to modern aircraft carriers.

Moreover a variety of ship equipment, collection of old cannons and the first 'version' of the famous Maxim gun, the samples of the sailors’ uniforms of different years and their camp household items are kept here.

Also unique historical documents related to the activities of the port of Toulon and magnificent works of famous marine painters are among the exhibits. It is worth specially focus that the Museum of the Marine of in Toulon has in its exposition the entire 'Russian' section where you can see many genuine artifacts devoted to the Russian-French relations.

References:

Comments

Your name


Address

Quai Consigne, Toulon, France
See all sites in Toulon

Details

Founded: 1814
Category: Museums in France

More Information

info-provence.com

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Toulon Cathedral (0,5 km)


Le Thoronet Abbey (46,5 km)
Château d'Hyères (16 km)
Collobrieres Monastery (40,4 km)
Château d'Entrecasteaux (50,7 km)
Fort Sainte Agathe (26,4 km)
Château de Vins (38,8 km)
Fort de Brégançon (32,2 km)
Château de Pontevès (36,8 km)
Château de Saint-Sauveur (24,1 km)

User Reviews

Joel Mansford (2 years ago)
Exhibits are interesting, there's an English audio guide but disappointingly none of the cards on the exhibits are in dual-language meaning those without audio guide you have to use Google translate to understand
Andrew Dotchin (3 years ago)
Besides a comprehensive history of the French navy it is situated in the middle of the port where the modern day navy can be seen as well
Ramachandran Ashokkumar (3 years ago)
Very nice and very much informative. Very organised and must visit place to know about French Naval base history
Le mouton qui Dab EA (3 years ago)
Very good museum with a lot of things to see, with a free audio-guide that gives good and interesting information. So don't hesitate!
Steven Benjamin (3 years ago)
Excellent museum for the price, and a great way to escape the rain! They provide audio guides in English and interesting exhibits of the history of Toulon port and French history in general. Would recommend spending an hour or so here to get a insight into what Toulon was like in the past....before the cruise ships arrived!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright CONTROTONO

Historic Site of the week

Palazzo Colonna

The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

With his passing, the palace was sacked during feuds, and the main property passed into the hands of the Della Rovere family. It returned to the Colonna family when Marcantonio I Colonna married Lucrezia Gara Franciotti Della Rovere, the niece of pope Julius II. The Colonna"s alliance to the Habsburg power, likely protected the palace from looting during the Sack of Rome (1527).

Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

The main gallery (completed 1703) and the masterful Colonna art collection was acquired after 1650 by both the cardinal Girolamo I Colonna and his nephew the Connestabile Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna and includes works by Lorenzo Monaco, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Palma the Elder, Salviati, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci (painting of The Beaneater), Guercino, Francesco Albani, Muziano and Guido Reni. Ceiling frescoes by Filippo Gherardi, Giovanni Coli, Sebastiano Ricci, and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari celebrate the role of Marcantonio II Colonna in the battle of Lepanto (1571). The gallery is open to the public on Saturday mornings.

The older wing of the complex known as the Princess Isabelle"s apartments, but once housing Martin V"s library and palace, contains frescoes by Pinturicchio, Antonio Tempesta, Crescenzio Onofri, Giacinto Gimignani, and Carlo Cesi. It contains a collection of landscapes and genre scenes by painters like Gaspard Dughet, Caspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli), and Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2021 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.